Welkom would-be job scammer due in court again

A Welkom woman, arrested for allegedly trying to scam a jobseeker, is set to re-appear regarding the matter in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 19 April. The suspect, Liabeng Icnatia Hoffman (45), is charged with corruption after the Welkom Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team pounced on her on 8 March.

Col Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said on her second appearance on 19 March, the court released her with a warning to re-appear on the date in question, having spent days in custody. The investigation continues into her alleged fraudulent activity to swindle jobseekers of their money for self-enrichment. Mohobeleli said Hoffman allegedly attempted to defraud a 20-year-old jobseeker of R10 000.

He said preliminary findings revealed the suspect used a job advertisement of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s as the modus operandi to try defrauding the individual. He said the jobseeker apparently applied for vacancies for trainee traffic officers the municipality had advertised, calling interested members of the public to apply.

According to Mohobeleli, the jobseeker received a call from a woman who confirmed a receipt of their application and further promised to appoint her on condition that an amount of R10 000 be paid. He said after the matter was reported to the Hawks, Hoffman was arrested by an undercover detective at about 8:00, allegedly at the time of collecting the money. Mohobeleli said it was confirmed the suspect was not an employee of the municipality.